


One, Two and... Three Orphans!?

by rae_greenwood



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Fluff, Short & Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-15
Updated: 2018-07-15
Packaged: 2019-06-10 13:39:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15292710
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rae_greenwood/pseuds/rae_greenwood
Summary: Kid Asra and Kid Muriel spend an average day on the beach ,but end up with a surprise on Asra's birthday.SPECIAL NOTE: *I fully acknowledge and joyfully celebrate that Asra is canonically non-binary. To help with the flow of writing, I do choose to use the pronouns he/him/his. These pronouns are approved by The Arcana Devs along with they/them/their.*





	One, Two and... Three Orphans!?

A quiet sunset had began to settle in.  
The waves were gently playing along the shore. A stocky young man laid about quietly with lazy eyes drooping. He was stout and muscled with tattered trousers and a tunic that had seen better days. He was close to dozing when he heard a commotion on the other side of the beach. 

“GIVE IT BACK!”, yelled an angry and light voice. “Make us you little rat!” laughed another voice mockingly. The stocky young man groaned, sitting up. Shaking the sleepiness from his body, he got up and lumbered over. He could see three older children circling a smaller white-haired kid laughing as they held a tiny egg over his head. The little kid growled angrily trying to jump and reach the tiny egg. The other kids, a tall boy closer to Muriel’s age had hold of a small lavender egg. The other two kept pushing the little kid back down every time he tried to reach the ringleader. 

Before Muriel could reach them, he witnessed the little kid jumping up in a rage and biting down on the taller kid’s arm. “Owwww!! You stupid little rat! You’re gonna pay now! I’m gonna fry this egg!” He said slinging Asra off of him. Muriel’s stride increased and before any of them knew it, he had a fierce and angry grip on the older kid’s wrist. “It’s the oaf again!” ,the other two kids yelped. “It’s just one loser and three of us, you wimps! Get Him!!”, he yelled. The other two were about to jump when they saw Muriel’s grip increase on the older boy’s wrist. Muriel scowled angrilyy and bent the taller boy’s wrist a little more. “Give it back and you’ll still have your arm, Cole.” he said seriously as he stared him down. Asra stared up at Muriel in wonder as the taller boy handed Asra back the egg. “Apologize.”, Muriel commanded. “S-sorry..shrimp..I..I mean Asra.” he squeaked before Muriel let him go. Rubbing his wrist angrily, he joined the other two boys and ran off down the other end of the shore.

Asra looked up at the taller and older boy. A smile spread wide on his small face and his eyes grew bigger as he cheered. “Muriel!! Wow!! Thank you so much!! You saved Faust!” ,he said cradling the egg tenderly. Muriel looked embarrassed, but said in a soft rumble, “Faust?”  
“Yeah! I think it’s a really good name for them. The man in town with the funny cards said it was meant for me. My birthday is tomorrow..maybe I can meet Faust then? What do you think, Muriel?”, he said looking up at the older boy expecting an answer. “Hmm. I don’t know, but...if they are important to you...then I will protect them too.” ,he said smiling at the younger boy. Kindly, he ruffled his hair. “You didn’t eat today yet, right? We have to go hunting skinks tonight.” he said as they walked towards the other end of the beach and looked for sharp pieces of driftwood. “No-oo. I made little toys to sell to the other kids, but I only have a few cents.” ,he said scrunching his little nose up. Muriel snorted a laugh, “You probably gotta go to the rich area, but be careful. The count’s guards are kinda mean.”,he said. “It’s okay! The man in town is teaching me magic. I can’t fight like you, well, not yet! One day though!” he said flexing tiny muscles. Muriel let out a belly laugh this time, gently punching his arm. “What are you gonna do? Light someone’s pants on fire?” ,Muriel snorted laughing. Asra puted with a scowl, further scrunching up his face. “Yeah, well, maybe I will!!” he said grinning mischievously.

Night fell and soon little beady eyes littered the grass near the shore. “Hyaaahh!”, came a roar as Muriel sunk his driftwood spear into another skink. “Ahhh!” a giggling voice called out delightedly. Muriel grabbed his string of skinks and rushed over to see Asra collapsed trying to wrestle a large skink. “Look! I got one! I got one, Muriel!! “ he said giggling as the skink flicked it’s tongue on his arm nervously. Muriel sighed grabbing the skink up and made quick with putting it out of its misery. Asra laid there looking disappointed. “Aww...I kinda wanted to keep him…” he said looking sadly at muriel. Muriel sat beside him quietly as he pulled a worn knife out to prepare the skinks. “You know..we..have to survive too.” he said softly. Muriel never liked harming anything or anyone, but being orphans meant you did what you had to, to survive. Asra nodded softly, cradling the little egg to him. 

Soon, Muriel had a warm and toasty fire ready for them and the skinks were roasting nicely. Asra was doodling into the ground absently. Muriel turned the skinks over looking out into the ocean. “Asra...we’re gonna get out one day.”, he said seriously. “We’re...gonna have our own place. You’ll be a magician, I guess. I..I think I want to farm and take care of the animals...instead of eating them.” he said as he passed a roasted skink to Asra. “Yeah!! I’m gonna do tricks and acrobatics like those funny guys with the paint!! We can eat that really good bread every day! We’ll never be cold or too hot!!”, he said eyes sparkled with determination as he chomped down happily on the skink. Muriel smiled brightly and felt stronger knowing Asra agreed with him. Muriel didn’t have any blood-related sibling, that he knew of. Asra was the little brother he never had. They had been together for five years now. He remembered finding him left alone on the beach a small child even smaller than now. He himself was only nine years old at the time. He fed and protected him from the bullies, promising to always be there for him. 

They ate in peaceful silence until nothing was left of the skink. Asra burped laughing happily. “Muriel that was great! Oh boy!! I can’t wait for Faust to try your cooking!”, he said holding the tiny egg up to the moon smiling happily. Muriel snorted a laugh. “We don’t even know what Faust is yet. It could be a chicken.”, he said drowsily. Asra giggled, his airy voice ringing like bells. “Faust...the chicken!!?” ,he said giggling wildly. Muriel sighed. He was supposed to be getting him to sleep, not a fit of laughter. Eventually, the witching hour came and they were soundly asleep.

Suddenly, a faint cracking noise broke the silence. Asra shot up like a bolt of lightning. MURIEL!! IT’S FAUST!!”, he yelled eyes big as the Moon itself. Muriel yawned and groaned wiping at his eyes. “Mm..wha-?” he broke off, watching Asra as he held the tiny wiggling egg. Slowly, a small head booped through the shell. Two tiny ruby eyes peeked out at Asra. A tiny tongue blipped at him. “Oh, Faust! Happy Birthday! It’s..my birthday too! We’re twins!”, he said looking affectionately at the tiny pale lavender snake in his hands. Muriel looked curiously at Faust as they blipped in his direction. He had never seen a snake like this one before. Asra giggled as Faust curled up his arm tickling his nose with their tongue. “Fri..end..?” a tiny little voice filled Asra’s ears. “OH MY GOD!”, he shouted looking at Muriel shocked.

“IT’S A GIRL. SHE SAID FRIEND! DID YOU HEAR IT TOO, MURIEL!!??” Muriel looked bewildered. He hadn’t heard Faust, but the insistent face Asra made assured him she had spoke. “I guess you’re a magician if you can hear a snake talk.”, he said yawning. “Happy Birthday , little brother.” he said yawning as he fell back to sleep. Big eyes shining happily, Asra whispered to Faust tucking her gently into his sleeve for warmth as she blinked at him, “Happy Birthday Faust. Welcome to our family.” Smiling he was soon asleep as tiny Faust blipped happily at the two. “Fam...ily.” she said falling asleep.

**Author's Note:**

> Sometimes, you just need a little fluff in your life. :)  
> I hope you enjoy this little glimpse into Asra and Muriel's childhood.


End file.
